Japanese Climbing Fern

Scientific name: Lygodium japonicum (Thunb. ex Murr.) Sw.

Synonym: Ophioglossum japonicum

Common name: Japanese climbing fern

Native To: Asia and Australia (tropical)

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1930s

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Introduced as an ornamental

Impact: Smothers native vegetation by blocking sunlight and increases fire risk by allowing fire to spread up trees along its vines

Current U.S. Distribution: Southeastern U.S., Hawaii

• PLANTS Database map (see complete PLANTS Profile for county distribution and native status)
• Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System

U.S. States and U.S. National Parks Where Reported Invasive: WeedUS Database map

Management Plans: Plants / Japanese climbing fern

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Lygodium japonicum
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Lygodium japonicum Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research

Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw. - Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program.
Taxonomy; Legal Aspects

Lygodium japonicum, L. microphyllum - Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
USDA. Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Japanese Climbing Fern - Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests
USDA. Forest Service. Southern Research Station.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Dispersion

Pest Alert: Japanese Climbing Fern (Jul 1999; PDF | 2.68 MB)
USDA. Forest Service. Southern Research Station.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Dispersion

Plant Profile for Lygodium japonicum - PLANTS Database
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
Taxonomy; Photographs; Illustrations; Distribution; Legal Aspects

Southern Wetland Flora: Japanese Climbing Fern
DOI. USGS. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Habitat; Distribution

Japanese Climbing Fern
Alabama Forestry Commission.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Dispersion; Controls

Japanese Climbing Fern - Plants of Alabama (PDF | 171 KB)
Alabama Forestry Commission.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Controls

Weed Alert: Japanese climbing fern (PDF | 548 KB)
Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Bureau of Invasive Plant Management.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Invasive Vegetation - Japanese Climbing Fern (PDF | 1.08 MB)
Brevard County Natural Resources (Florida).
Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Climbing Fern (Lygodium japonicum, Lygodium microphyllum)
Miami-Dade County (Florida). Department of Environmental Resources Management.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Lygodium japonicum (Thunb.) Sw.
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Habitat; Legal Aspects

Japanese Climbing Fern - WeedUS Database
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution

Lygodium japonicum - Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (PDF | 79 KB)
University of Florida.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution

Lygodium japonicm: Japanese climbing fern (PDF | 528 KB)
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution; Dispersion

Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum)
University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Life Cycle; Distribution

Lygodium japonicum and Lygodium microphyllum - Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative in the Parks
University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Lygodium japonicum (Thunb. ex Murr.) Sw. - Invasive Plant Atlas of the MidSouth
Mississippi State University. GeoResources Institute.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Japanese Climbing Fern - Forest Management Sheet (PDF | 85 KB)
Texas A&M University. Texas Forest Service.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Habitat; Dispersion; Controls

International

Lygodium japonicum (fern) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Japanese Climbing Fern
Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Lygodium Management Plan for Florida (2001; PDF | 926 KB)
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Lygodium Task Force.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Legal Aspects

Japanese climbing fern - Invasive Weeds in Georgia
Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Japanese climbing fern
Guide to Invasive Plants of the Galveston Bay Area.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Japanese climbing fern
Invasive.org.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History

Lygodium japonicum
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Habitat; Distribution

Lygodium japonicum
TexasInvasives.org.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls